Apron table



Dec. 31, 1963 A, E. MoszczYNsKl APRON TABLE Filed April 26, 1963 INVENTOR. zzzza Edward@ MSZUZWSL' ATTORNEYS 3,115,639 APRN TABLE Anna Moszczynski, 47 E. 12th St., New York 3, NSY. Filed Apr. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 276,643 6 Qiaims. (Ci. 2.-48)

This invention relates to aprons and particularly to an apron capable of functioning as a lap table.

As is well-known, many hostesses entertain guests on patios or provide butet type meals wherein the guests must carry plates, cups, saucers, silverware and the like 4and seek to find a proper place to sit. Even then most guests are presented with the problem of holding one or more plates and accessories on their lap or otherwise, resulting in considerable inconvenience land often acoidents. The present invention contemplates an apron which may be designed and decorated for the use of either men or women, or both, and which includes a rigid panel functioning as a lap table when the wearer is seated. Use of the hands is not necessary to arrange the table, it being only necessary for the wearer to assume a seated position in which case a rigid panel is properly positioned on his or her lap and ready to receive plates or the like. The invention also contemplates the provision of a suitable pocket adjacent the rigid panel for the reception of silver-ware or the like and which is so positioned that when the person is seated and the rigid panel forms a lap table, the silverware in the pocket is conveniently located and readily accessible for immediate use.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an apron having a rigid panel removably secured thereto, in position -to rest on the wearers lap, when seated, to function as a practical lap table.

Another object is to provide such an apron table providing not only support for utensils, dishes and the like but also odering protection to the clothing of the wearer.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such an apron table having means for carrying silverware and the like to render the same readily accessible upon the wearers assuming a sitting position.

A further object is to provide a device as set forth above which is simple and inexpensive to produce yet attractive and eiiicient in operation.

Other and additional objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

PEG. l is a front view of an apron embodying the resent invention with portions thereof broken away to show the construction;

2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. l; and

Fic. 3 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the position assumed by the apron when the wearer is seated and illustrating a practical use thereof.

As shown in the drawings the apron comprises a waistband 2, including ribbon-like end portions 4l, to serve in the usual manner as ties to be knotted around the waist of the ywearer to support the apron in the conventional manner. it is to be understood, however, that any other suitable means may be used instead of the ties d. For

Xarnple, the waistband 2 could be provided with a known type of curved spring insert to hold the apron to the wearers waist. Depending from the lwaistband 2 is an apron panel 6 of any suitable fabric, which may be of woven material or otherwise and which serves to `cover at least the lap portion of the wearer. ri`he forward or outer face of the apron panel 6 may be decorated in any suitable manner by means of color, fabric design, or ap- States arent lidg Patented Dec. 3i, 1963 Vice general size and shape as the pocket lil is seated therein and removably held in the position shown by the pocket l0. FlG. 2 shows the rigid panel ld in position in the pocket.

rthe panel 13 may be any suitable material such as plywood, plastic, metal or heavy cardboard or the like, having sufficient rigidity and strength to function as a supporting sur-face in the manner to be described. Since the panel 13 is removably seated in pocket la, it may be removed -at any time for any intended purpose, such as for laundering the apron.

Alongside the pocket il@ but on the front face of the apron panel 6, an upwardly open accessory pocket 20 is provided. It is to be noted that the accessory pocket 2i? is relatively shallow and narrow and its center line does not extend directly vertically but is tilted slightly inwardly at the top, for a purpose to be described.

HG. 3 shows the apron in use and wherein the waistband Z is illustrated as being tied around the Waist of a wearer who is assumed to be in the sitting position. As is apparent from FIG. 3, the rigid panel 18 rests on the lap of the wearer and defines a substantially level flat surface 22, obviously capable of functioning eiiiciently as a table for the support of plate 24 and other eating accessories illustrated. As also shown in FIG. 3, the pocket 2i?, when the wearer is seated, depends downwardly from the adjacent edge of the panel 18 but since its axis is slightly tilted, as described above, silverware or the like accessories 26 are retained therein Without falling out and are readily accessible to the user. As also clearly shown in FlG. 3, at least the side portions of the apron panel i6 extend laterally of the side edges :l2 of the panel 18 a substantial distance so that they drape over the sides of the wearers clothing when seated and thus serve as protective means for the wearers garments.

Obviously, the apron may be rnade of woven fabric capable of being cleaned or laundered or it may ir desired be made of disposable material, such as paper or the like. Also, the pocket lil' in which the panel )i8 is removably held does not necessarily have to be on the inner face of the apron panel but could be on the outer tface thereof, if desired. Also, the rigid panel 18 need not necessarily be secured to the apron by means of a pocket lli but could be removably secured in any other suitable manner, such as by lacing, snap fasteners, or the like. Preferably, however, at least one layer of fabric or the like extends over the outer face of the panel ig so as to serve as a cover for the lap table in the manner described.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is to be yunderstood that the same is merely illustrative of the principles involved and that other forms may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apron comprising: a waistband; a dlexible fabric panel secured to and depending from said waistband, said panel being of suicient length and width to cover at least the entire lap of the wearer; and a substantially rigid flat panel removably secured to one face of said apron panel and being portable therewith, spaced below said waistband and in position to overlie a wearers lap; said rigid panel being of sufficient size to define a lap-supported table when the wearer is seated.

2. An apron as dened in claim 1 wherein said apron includes van upwardly open pocket on the ou-ter face of said apron panel spaced laterally outwardly of but closely adjacent one side edge of said rigid panel.

3. An apron as defined in claim l wherein said rigid panel lies adjacent the inner face of said apron panel whereby the latter overlies the rigid panel when the wearer is seated and constitutes a cover for said lap table.

4. An apron as defined in claim 3 wherein said apron panel extends laterally beyond at least the side edges of said rigid panel whereby to depend downwardly therefrom when the wearer is seated.

S5. An apron Vas defined in claim 1 wherein said apron 4 panel is provided Iwith an yupwardly open pocriet of substantially the same size and shape as said rigid panel, said rigid panel being removably seated in said pocket.

6. An apron as dened in claim 5 wherein said pocket is 5 on the inner face of said apron panel.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,620,474 Millsap Dec. 9, 1952 10 2,738,511 Brady Mar. 20, 1956 2,767,403 Givens oct. 23, 1956 

1. AN APRON COMPRISING: A WAISTBAND; A FLEXIBLE FABRIC PANEL SECURED TO AND DEPENDING FROM SAID WAISTBAND, SAID PANEL BEING OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH AND WIDTH TO COVER AT LEAST THE ENTIRE LAP OF THE WEARER; AND A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID FLAT PANEL REMOVABLY SECURED TO ONE FACE OF SAID APRON PANEL AND BEING PORTABLE THEREWITH, SPACED BELOW SAID WAISTBAND AND IN POSITION TO OVERLIE A WEARER''S LAP; SAID RIGID PANEL BEING OF SUFFICIENT SIZE TO DEFINE A LAP-SUPPORTED TABLE WHEN THE WEARER IS SEATED. 